Ireland vs Italy LIVE: Six Nations rugby result as debutant Michael Lowry helps secure bonus point after Hame Faiva red card

Ireland 57-6 Italy: Azzurri finish game with 12 players after hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi injured and replacement Faiva sent off for dangerous tackle

Ireland's Michael Lowry celebrates scoring their sixth try (REUTERS)

Ireland kept the pressure on unbeaten Six Nations leaders France with a 57-6 thrashing of Italy on Sunday in a game that descended into farce after the visitors were forced to play most of it with just 13 men.

Ireland were 7-3 up when replacement hooker Hame Faiva, on for the injured Gianmarco Lucchesi, was sent off and because Italy resorted to uncontested scrums, they had to nominate another player to leave the pitch for the final 61 minutes. With gaps everywhere, the hosts followed up Joey Carbery’s early try with eight more from Jamison Gibson-Park, Peter O’Mahony, Kieran Treadwell, Ryan Baird and two each for debutant Michael Lowry and James Lowe. Ireland, who trail France by three points after taking a losing bonus point from Paris, need to beat England and Scotland to have a chance of winning the title.

“I tried to compose myself coming out to thousands of people,” Lowry said after his dream debut. All I can say is thanks to everyone who got me to this situation here today. Lining up for the anthems is everyone’s childhood dream and that chance is something I will never forget. I’ve worked hard for this. Hopefully I’ll step on from this now and get a few more caps. It was just about playing our game. fair play to Italy they kept coming after us. We had to play our game and be patient.”

(PA)

Ireland (24) 57

Tries: Carbery, Gibson-Park, Lowry 2, O’Mahony, Lowe 2, Baird,Treadwell.

Cons: Carbery 2, Sexton 4.

Italy (6) 6

Pens: Padovani, Garbisi.

Jamison Gibson-Park celebrates with teammates Dan Sheehan and Andrew Porter (Getty Images)

Six Nations 2022: Ireland vs Italy

• Six Nations deliver Ukraine message ahead of Ireland vs Italy
• Joey Carbery scores early try after bright start from Irish
• Italy’s Hame Faiva sent off for ‘clear contact to the chin and high danger’
• Jamison Gibson-Park strikes to ram home Ireland advantage
• Michael Lowry grabs try on debut to stretch Ireland’s lead
• Peter O’Mahony secures bonus point for rampant Ireland

[27 February 2022 16:09 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 24-6 Italy, 42 minutes

A good start from Italy! The first penalty at the break-down is awarded their way and Paolo Garbisi will look to add another three.

[27 February 2022 16:09 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

The second half is underway!

The players re-emerge after the interval and things are back underway in Dublin. Tiziano Pasquali and Alessandro Fusco are on for Pietro Ceccarelli and Stephen Varney.

[27 February 2022 16:05 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

ITV very helpfully explain Law 3.20

I was digging out a screenshot of the law-book, but ITV have a former international hooker at their disposal, so I’ll let Rory Best explain...

[27 February 2022 16:02 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

H/T: Ireland 24-6 Italy

Well that all rather descended into something of a farce after the dismissal of Italian replacement hooker Hame Faiva. Faiva had replaced a stricken Gianmarco Lucchesi early on and then made dangerous contact with the chin of Dan Sheehan, duly sent off by referee Nika Amashukeli on the Georgian’s Six Nations debut.

In law, with no qualified hookers left, Italy had to go to uncontested scrums - as Faiva had received a red card, that means that Italy were forced to remove an extra player to ensure that they were still punished for the sending off. And that has made things rather one-sided after Italy had grown into the game and had a brighter spell.

[27 February 2022 15:55 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

HALF-TIME: IRELAND 24-6 ITALY

[27 February 2022 15:53 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

PENALTY! Ireland 24-6 ITALY (Paolo Garbisi penalty, 40 minutes)

Garbisi pops it through and that’ll be that for a strange first half.

[27 February 2022 15:53 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

PENALTY! Ireland 24-6 ITALY (Paolo Garbisi penalty, 40 minutes)

Garbisi pops it through and that’ll be that for a strange first half.

[27 February 2022 15:52 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 24-3 Italy, 40 minutes

Ireland are offside soon after the restart, and this is eminently kickable. Paolo Garbisi and Michele Lamaro waste little time in calling for the tee as the clock ticks into the red.

[27 February 2022 15:49 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

TRY! IRELAND 24-3 Italy (Peter O’Mahony try, 38 minutes)

And the captain goes over for the bonus point try before half-time. Tadhg Beirne attacks on an unders line back against the grain of the Italian defence, and then there are two men over on the blindside as Jamison Gibson-Park is again afforded the swiftest of breakdown ball.

The second of them, Michael Lowry, is not needed as Edoardo Padovani rather rolls out the red carpet for Peter O’Mahony, producing a matador’s tackle as O’Mahony goes over. Joey Carbery is off the mark from the tee again.

[27 February 2022 15:49 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 19-3 Italy, 36 minutes

Ireland play with reckless abandon just inside the Italian half, line-breaks twice ended by Italy knock-ons that are deemed to have occured as part of a tackle. Now Ireland gather momentum, Joey Carbery hitting Josh van der Flier on an inside ball...